


Red Hood's Attack on Arkham

by tehStrawberryjuice



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DC Extended Universe, DCU, Under the Red Hood
Genre: Gun Violence, Torture, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-10
Updated: 2018-10-10
Packaged: 2019-07-29 06:05:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16258208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tehStrawberryjuice/pseuds/tehStrawberryjuice
Summary: Batman is summoned by commissioner Gordon to investigate a situation at Arkham Asylum, where several armed men, lead by the mysterious Red Hood, have infiltrated the asylum, took the staff hostage and released some of the inmates.Basically a retelling of "Under the Red Hood" set in the DC Extended Universe.





	Red Hood's Attack on Arkham

“Tell the camera your name.”

 

“Go to hell.”

 

The boy in the chair couldn’t have been much older than 18. His dark hair was matted to his forehead and he was wearing a tattered red and green uniform. He was cuffed to a wheelchair with two pairs of handcuffs.

 

“All in due time, my boy. Now, your name.”

 

“R-Robin.”

 

“Oh no, not that name. After all, you’re not Robin anymore, are you?”

 

The boy turned his head down and sobbed.

 

“Please, just kill me,” he wept, staring at the floor.

 

“Oh no no no no no, I don’t want to kill you. You know what I want,” the voice behind the camera growled. “Look at the camera, and say your name. Loud and clear now.”

 

The boy looked up at the camera. He was missing teeth and there was a large letter J burned to his right cheek.

 

“Jason,” he swallowed. “Jason Todd.”

 

“Good boy, Jason. Tell me, how long have you been here with me? Do you know?”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

“It’s been 12 months today, Jason. It’s our anniversary, so to say,” the voice laughed.

 

A man walked in front of the camera. He was tall and pale. He had bright green hair and wore a purple jacket. He walked behind the wheelchair and covered Jason’s mouth with his left hand. There was a tattoo of a smiling mouth on his hand.

 

“I’m afraid I didn’t get you anything for the occasion,” the Joker whispered, pushing his mouth against Jason’s ear. “And I can’t assume you got me anything either.”

 

“Tell me, Jason,” he said releasing his grip on the boys face. “Who do you hate?”

 

There was a moment where all the sound in the room was the laboured breathing of Jason.

 

“Batman.”

 

“Good,” the Joker said and turned to look at the camera. “You hear that? The kid’s not yours anymore. He’s mine. Mine to do with as I wish.”

 

There was another moment of silence as the Joker walked to the front of the wheelchair.

 

“Y’know, you never told me. Who is the Batman? I want a name.”

 

It took Jason another moment to ponder his answer.

 

“His name,” he sighed. “It’s-”

 

BLAM. The wheelchair rolled back in to the shadows from the force of the bullet hitting Jason’s chest. The Joker dropped the gun to the floor and grabbed the camera.

 

“Never could stand a tattletale. That’s why I work alone. You should try it,” he leaned in to the camera, covering the room behind him with his face. “After all, you just saw what happens when you bring a third wheel to a two player game.”

 

“Master Bruce.”

 

Bruce Wayne jolted awake in his chair.

 

“I believe you are needed,” Alfred said, pointing to the bat symbol in the sky outside the window.

 

\---

 

It had been years since he first saw the video, and he still had nightmares of his greatest failure. Jason Todd was his ward, he was like a son to him. And the Batman had failed to save him. The Batman had let him die at the hands of a sociopath. The Batman had left him to the Joker for a year. A year of twisted games and unimaginable torture to break the poor boy.

 

These thoughts raced through Batman’s head for what must’ve been the thousandth time as he sped through the streets of Gotham City. Listening to the police radio had told him enough of the situation for him to know to head directly to Arkham Asylum.

 

As the batmobile swerved to the entrance of the madhouse, an older man with a greying moustache at the doorway turned to the police radio in his hand.

 

“He’s here, you can turn the signal off,” 

 

The bat symbol in the sky disappeared as Batman jumped out of his vehicle.

 

“Jim,” he greeted his friend. “What’s the situation?”

 

Police commissioner Gordon turned around and led Batman in to the asylum.

 

“Several armed men broke in to the asylum, killed the guards and took some of the staff hostage,” he explained. “We’ve got the place on lockdown, they’re not going anywhere, but we can’t make a move until the hostages are safe.”

 

“Any idea who they are?”

 

“No positive IDs on any of them,” Gordon shaked his head. “They’re all wearing masks. From what we gathered on the security footage and their radio communications, before they broke the cameras and blocked us from their frequency, they know what they’re doing. Military background, probably.”

 

“Mercenaries,” Batman guessed.

 

The two men came to the security room, where a dozen monitors on the wall were all paused to showcase one person from different camera feeds..

 

“But here’s the kicker,” Gordon continued. “Their leader. Calls himself the Red Hood.”

 

The man on the screens was wearing a leather jacket on top of a hoodie and a red mask covering the entirety of his face. On his hips were two semi-automatic handguns.

 

“The remnants of the Red Hood gang were sentenced to Blackgate years ago,” Batman noted while examining the screens.

 

“And there they remain,” the commissioner confirmed. “So either we missed some…”

 

“Or this is a copycat,” Batman finished the sentence.

 

He hit a button and the videos unpaused. Batman took in the details as this Red Hood took down several armed guards, often times without needing his own weapons.

 

“He’s good.”

 

“What are they doing with the inmates?” Batman asked ignoring the comment.

 

“They’ve released some of them. Given them weapons and got them to guard the doors and the hostages.”

 

“This is the Joker’s doing,” Batman suddenly said.

 

“You think this is Joker's plan to get out of Arkham? How could he have coordinated this? He’s spent almost half a year in solitary confinement.”

 

“The Joker’s posed as the Red Hood before, he’s the only one with ties to those people in Arkham.”

 

“Why didn’t they just escape with him? Why take over the asylum and risk getting caught?”

 

“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out,” Batman promised moving to the door. “Keep your men ready, I’ll let you know when you can move in to secure the hostages.”

 

\---

 

A SWAT team was posted at the door to the dining area, the no man's land of the situation. Batman entered through the door and carefully surveyed the surroundings. He was in a wide, two story room that was the center of the asylum.

 

“Ah, the Caped Crusader,” a voice echoed through the PA system. “Finally here. We’ve been waiting for you.”

 

“Nygma,” Batman identified the voice as that of the Riddlers and turned his attention to the window on the second floor, overlooking the dining area. Riddler was looking down on him with the microphone in hand.

 

“I have been designated as your guide tonight,” Riddler continued. “A misuse of a person of my intellect, but I won’t complain tonight. We have big plans for you.”

 

“What plans?”

 

“To the right of you,” Riddler continued, ignoring him, “you’ll find the recreational areas. You’ll also discover mister Dent with our darling doctors in peril. Can you save them? Honestly, I doubt it.”

 

“And to the left. You’ll find our generous hosts. What are they doing there? Who knows! But you’ll want to stop them, I’m sure.”

 

“Where are Red Hood and the Joker?”

 

“In solitary confinement,” Riddler graciously answered. “They’ll be expecting you.”

 

Batman pondered the situation only for seconds. Going after the Red Hood or his men could wait, saving the hostages was the priority. He turned to the double doors on the right.

 

“So predictable,” Nygma mocked. “Good luck Dark Knight. You’ll need it.”

 

\---

 

Harvey Dent flipped his coin. He didn’t check which way it landed. The Batman would die tonight, whether by him or any of the other armed men in the asylum, it didn’t matter.

 

He was standing in the far end of the gymnasium, as far away from the doors as possible. He had his coin in one hand, and a large .50 caliber revolver in the other. In the room with him were twelve of his fellow inmates, all armed with automatic weapons. In the middle of the room, between him and the doors, were seven asylum workers, tied and gagged on the floor.

 

Suddenly the lights went out.

 

“He’s here,” Dent grunted.

 

Before any of the armed men could think to grab a hostage, the wall exploded. One of the inmates was caught in the explosion. Twelve muzzles swung to point at the explosion and several shots echoed in the room. The hostages screamed in to their gags.

 

The doors burst open and a shadow entered the room. The three men by the doors went down before they knew what had happened. Six small objects flew through the air, as a few of the men turned their attention to the doors, and hit six guns without fail. Small explosions echoed in the room as the men shouted and dropped their now useless weapons.

 

Batman stood up and fired his batclaw. It struck an armed inmate in the shoulder, making him drop his weapon in pain. Batman yanked on the wire and the inmate flew through the air, hitting another and making them both fall on the floor.

 

The last armed inmate fired blindly at Batman’s general direction. Batman sprinted across the room, several bullets deflecting off his chest armour, and jumped at the man, bringing him to the floor. He grabbed on to the inmates leg and swung him over, making him fly at his comrades. Batman used that as a cover to close the distance between him and the rest of the men, grabbing one by the head and crushing him against the floor. He grabbed two others by their heads and smashed their skulls together.

 

One of the men ran at him, screaming. He grabbed him by the arm and swung him to the floor, breaking the arm in the process. Another man retrieved a weapon off the floor and pointed it at Batman, who grabbed the gun and bashed it in to the mans face. He leapt at the last man, grabbed him by the collar and threw him in to the wall.

 

The lights turned back on. Batman turned to face Two Face, who stood in the middle of the room, holding one of the nurses with his weapon against the hostages temple.

 

“It’s over Batman,” he growled. “Stand down, and accept defeat.”

 

“Harvey,” Batman said, slowly moving to the right, careful not to step closer. “You don’t want to do this.”

 

“I do,” Dent assured. “I do.”

 

His eyes turned to his fallen men, just for a second. Batman used that second to grab a batarang with the arm hidden from Two Face.

 

“You hit harder than you used to,” Dent commented. “And you used to hit pretty hard.”

 

Batman took another step to the right.

 

“Not me though,” Harvey continued. He squeezed the hostage closer to his chest. “You take it easy on me. What, you think I’m better than these people?”

 

“You are, Harvey,” Batman replied. “You used to be. You can be again.”

 

“Those days are gone,” Dent yelled. “That Harvey is gone! He died in that courtroom and Gotham is better off without him!”

 

“That’s not true. Gotham needs men like Harvey Dent. Men who stood up for the innocent people,” Batman looked to the hostage. “Let him go, Harvey. If you’re going to point a gun at someone, point it at someone who deserves it.”

 

Two Face looked from the hostage to Batman. He thought about the situation.

 

“Fine,” he said.

 

The gun swung in the air. Batman acted immediately. He jumped to the left. The gun went off. Batman threw the batarang. The bullet passed under his arm and ripped through his cape. The batarang hit Dent’s gun hand. The gun fell and Batman leapt at Dent. The hostage dropped to the floor as Batman grabbed Harvey’s collar. One headbutt against his face and Two Face went down.

 

When he came back to, Harvey Dent was handcuffed and Batman was freeing the hostages.

 

“You still go easy on me,” he sighed. “You shouldn’t play favourites.”

 

“You were the best of us, Harvey,” Batman whispered as he turned to the doors. “And I still believe in you.”

 

\---

 

Next Batman was going after Red Hood and the Joker. The SWAT team was equipped to take care of the mercenaries, whatever they were doing. After they secured the hostages.

 

“Batman, triumphant after all,” Riddler welcomed him back to the dining area. “Good. I wanted to enjoy the show.”

 

Batman decided to proceed carefully. Whatever Riddler meant, it wasn’t good. He didn’t give the go to the SWAT team just yet. He walked to the doors leading in to the cell blocks and immediately leapt back as the doors flew open.

 

“Bane.”

 

Standing nearly seven feet tall, Bane towered over the Batman. He was missing his trademark mask, as well as his Venom dispenser, wearing only the orange jumpsuit assigned to Arkham inmates. But even without the super-steroid, he was a formidable foe.

 

“Tonight, the Bat dies,” Bane growled in his thick accent. “And I am the one who breaks him.”

 

“I’ve beaten you before, Bane. And I’ll do it again,” Batman promised.

 

“You can hope.”

 

Bane charged at him. He swung his gigantic fist at Batman’s head. Batman crouched under the attack and launched two quick jabs to Bane’s abdomen, followed by a left hook to his jaw.

 

Bane took another brutal swing at his head. He dodged and kicked, aiming for the solar plexus. Bane grabbed his foot before it could connect, swung him around, and threw him away. Batman landed against a table and crashed through it.

 

Bane ran over to him and leaned down to grab him, but Batman kicked at his chest with both legs, sending him to the floor. The two men got back up and circled each other slowly.

 

Batman leapt at Bane, grabbed at his head and brought him down to the floor. Bane got up quickly and as Batman came at him again, Bane grabbed him and threw him through the air, against the wall.

 

Batman fell to the floor, dazed, and before he could get up, Bane was on him again. Grabbing on to his shoulders, Bane swung him over in the air and back against the floor. Batman rolled away and got to his feet. He backed away slowly as Bane inched closer to him, but stopped as he came to a wall.

 

Bane’s fist flew through the air, and hit the wall where Batman’s head had just been, crashing through it. Batman took the chance to elbow him in the stomach but Bane simply smacked him to the side of the head, sending him to the floor again. Batman rolled away from Bane’s foot stomping on the floor, got up, grabbed a chair and crushed it against Bane’s skull.

 

As Bane shook off the hit, Batman took another few steps back, grabbed a batarang and threw it at Bane, who grabbed it from the air.

 

“You should know better than to bring your toys to fist fight,” he mocked.

 

The batarang in his hand exploded. Batman leapt at the chance, launching his fists in to Bane’s solar plexus, and an elbow to his ribcage. Bane smacked him down again, and kicked him away.

 

“You are weak,” he growled, standing over his gasping opponent.

 

He grabbed Batman by the throat and hoisted him in to the air.

 

“And now, I will end you.”

 

Batman gasped for air as Bane’s hand squeezed tighter and tighter. He brought his arms up and slammed them both against Bane’s forearm, but to no avail. Then he smacked both hands to the sides of his head, and managed to free himself. He punched Bane, twice in the face, then in the throat.

 

Bane clutched at his throat, coughing in pain. Batman kicked at his feet, taking him off balance, bringing him to his knees, then in the chest, sending him to the floor.. Batman jumped on top of him, knocking the air out of his lungs with his knees, and slammed both his fists in to his temples again.

 

Bane was knocked out.

 

“Impossible,” Riddler gasped from the safety of his booth.

 

“Gordon,” Batman spoke in to his communicator. “The hostages are safe in the gymnasium. Send your men to retrieve them. I’m going after Red Hood.”

 

He didn’t notice the shadow behind him before he felt the sting on his neck.

 

\---

 

BLAM. The gunshot echoed in the empty room. The bullet hit the defenseless boy in the chest. Jason Todd, dead, disappeared in to the shadows. The laughing face of the Joker surrounded Batman.

 

He stood in the hallway, dumbstruck, dozen screens around him playing the same footage. Footage of the Joker laughing over his wards corpse, kicking and spitting on the body. His fists squeezed tight as he continued through the hallway, desperately trying to ignore the screens surrounding him.

 

Of course, when Jason had been missing for a year, he had expected the worst, or what he thought was the worst. But the Joker had crossed a line Batman hadn’t even considered existing. Jason Todd hadn’t just been murdered, he had been destroyed.

 

Batman kicked the door off its hinges and marched in to the room. A room also filled with screens, as well as the man behind the camera.

 

“Ah, Bats,” the Joker spoke from his seat. “Did you enjoy the show?”

 

Batman kicked him in the chest, sending him through the chair he was sitting in.

 

“I’ll take that as a no,” he coughed from the floor.

 

Batman grabbed on to his collar, grunting, and hoisted him up to eye level.

 

“Wait, wait. This is my favourite part,” the clown giggled, pointing a remote over Batman’s shoulder.

 

Jason’s screaming echoed in the room as the dozens of screens replayed the moment that the Joker had branded his face.

 

Batman grabbed on to his hand, knocking the remote to the floor, and squeezed. The cracking sound was almost satisfying.

 

“I’m going to break you,” he growled.

 

“Oh, I think we both know that’s not true,” the Joker mocked through the pain. “You would’ve done it years ago, if you could.”

 

Batman threw him across the room. Several screens cracked and fell as the Joker’s body smashed in to them. And not letting him get up, Batman was on him again.

 

His fist met the Joker’s face, hardly for the first time, as he brutalized the sociopaths face. But this was different. It didn’t end with just a punch or two. Blood splattered on Batman’s mask, the Joker choked and swallowed his own teeth as the protector of Gotham unleashed his rage.

 

When he was finally done, the Joker was limp, barely hanging on to consciousness. He was missing nearly all of his front teeth and couldn’t open his left eye. Batman let go, and he dropped to the floor, gasping. Batman panted heavily and something on the floor caught his eye. The Joker’s customized pistol.

 

He hesitated for but a second before falling to his knees and grabbing the gun. His finger found the trigger as he pushed the gun against the Joker’s forehead. It was so easy in his head. He squeezed the handle of the gun as he gritted his teeth.

 

“Do it,” the Joker hacked. “Do it. I want you to do it.”

 

It was so easy. The screen in front of him grabbed his attention. It displayed the Joker beating Jason with a crowbar.

 

“Do it!”

 

Batman’s roar of rage was drowned by the echoing gunshot. The gun was thrown across the room. Batman stumbled up and took a step back.

 

It was so easy. But he couldn’t do it.

 

“I knew you didn’t have the balls,” the Joker laughed, before falling unconscious.

 

“Wake up!”

 

Batman startled awake from the slap on his face. He was in solitary confinement, strapped to an upright stretcher, unable to move his arms or his legs. Before him stood two men. The Red Hood and one of his mercenaries. The mercenary was armed with an automatic rifle, pointed to Batman’s head, and on his hip hung a sword. To his surprise, the Joker was still behind the glass in his cell.

 

“You’ve gotten slow in your old age,” Red Hood mocked. His voice was somehow familiar. “I didn’t trust Scarecrow, of all people, could get to you. Thankfully, doctor Crane was gracious enough to hand you over to us.”

 

“You’re not here to free the Joker?” Batman wondered aloud. “Why are you here? Who are you?”

 

“Isn’t that the million dollar question,” the man said, before throwing the hood off his head. Underneath was the red helmet that covered his entire head.

 

"Sorry to disappoint, but Joker had nothing to do with this. This was all orchestrated by me."

 

He paced in front of Batman, clearly agitated, continuously running his hands against the handles of his guns.

 

“Y’know, I didn’t think it’d be this hard, but it’s taking all my self control not to kill you right now.”

 

“Then why don’t you?” Batman questioned.

 

“Because,” he shouted, before calming down. “Because, we have plans for you. And for him,” he pointed to the Joker, smiling silently in his cell. “This whole place, in fact. But those plans are quickly coming to an end.”

 

“You see, I’m going to do what you never could. I’m going to end crime in Gotham. Starting with this, this!” He gestured around him. “This monument to your failure. This madhouse, filled with everything that’s wrong with Gotham!”

 

“You’re going to-”

 

“I’m going to blow it to hell,” he interrupted, leaning close. “Where it belongs. Where you belong!”

 

“What did I do to you?” Batman asked.

 

Red Hood laughed, taking a step back. “What did you do? You failed.”

 

He reached up to his neck and pushed a button on his helmet, that made it open below the chin. The visor of the mask slid up and  Batman’s eyes widened in shock.

 

“Jason.”

 

“Yes,” the former boy wonder spoke.

 

The Joker laughed.

 

“But, you’re dead. I saw him kill you. How?”

 

“Perhaps I can answer that,” the so-far-silent mercenary spoke before Jason could answer.

 

Jason turned away, silent, as the mercenary similarly undid his mask.

 

“Ra’s.”

 

“Indeed,” Ra’s al Ghul confirmed. “I’m sure you can piece together how, so I’ll instead explain why. You see, after time and time again having been turned down by you, I had to look elsewhere for my successor. And who better to replace you than the man you helped create.”

 

“I’ll destroy you for this, Ra’s,” Batman promised through his grit teeth.

 

“I’m sorry, detective,” the man responded. “But this is your last night on this earth. As mister Todd already explained, tonight is the night Batman and his failures die. He will take your place, as a better, more effective protector of this once great city and, when the time is right, succeed me as leader of the League of Shadows.”

 

The demons head had much more to say, but never got a chance to. The gunshot echoed deafeningly throughout the room. Ra’s grabbed on to his side, eyes widening.

 

“But… what-”

 

He stumbled and fell to the floor. Jason stood behind him, the gun still smoking in his hand.

 

“Sorry, Ra’s,” he said and pulled his visor back on. “But Gotham is enough for me.”

 

“Jason, wait!”

 

“No.” He walked past Batman to the door without another word.

 

Batman struggled against his restraints to no avail. The door behind him slammed shut.

 

“Well, looks like it’s just you and me, Batsy,” the Joker spoke from behind the glass. “Gotta say, not how I figured we’d go out. Of course, I knew we’d go out together, but not like this.”

 

He sounded almost sad. Then he laughed.

 

“At least we’ll go out with a bang!”

 

Batman tuned out the maniacal cackling and closed his eyes, wallowing in his failure, waiting for the end.

 

Only minutes passed before the door opening behind him startled him back to reality. Commissioner Gordon walked to his field of vision, stepping over Ra’s with his gun in hand.

 

“Jim.”

 

“What happened?” Gordon asked. “Where’s Red Hood? He didn’t free the Joker?”

 

The Joker waved giddily from his cell.

 

“Jim, free me.”

 

As Gordon set to opening his bindings, Batman explained the situation: “I was wrong. The Joker had nothing to do with this, this was the League of Shadows.”

 

“The League of Shadows? As in that Raze al Ghoul you told me about.”

 

“Exactly him,” Batman confirmed. “They’re planning-”

 

The rest of his sentence was drowned out by the war cry of Ra’s al Ghul, as he tackled Gordon in to the wall. Batman quickly turned his attention to the last cuff on his left wrist and freed himself.

 

The commissioner fell to the floor as Batman grabbed on Ra’s’ collar and threw him away.

 

“This will not be my last night, detective,” Ra’s screamed, a manic glint in his eyes. He pulled out his sword. “Nothing can stop the plans we’ve laid for tonight. I will retreat today, and I will return to Gotham, with a thousand men, and I will paint the streets with blood before hunting down your student and subjecting him to unimaginable tortures, before I let him join you in hell!”

 

Ra’s al Ghul charged at Batman, swinging his sword at his throat. Batman stopped his sword with the vambrace of his suit and knocked the sword away. Ra’s coughed up blood.

 

“Ra’s, you’re injured,” Batman pleaded.

 

“A minor setback,” Ra’s coughed back.

 

He charged again, aiming his fist at Batman’s face. Batman dodged, grabbed on to his arm and twisted it, forcing the assassin to his knees.

 

“Give up, Ra’s, it’s over.”

 

“Never!”

 

Ra’s forced himself up, twisting his right arm out of its socket to free himself. Batman took a swing at Ra’s, who knocked his fist away and slammed his palm to the Bats chest, sending him stumbling back, before receiving Ra’s’ leg to his side, knocking him down. Ra’s used the moment he gained to pop his arm forcibly back in to place.

 

He attacked Batman again as the Dark Knight got up to his feet, just in time to dodge the attack and kick Ra’s to the back of his knee, dropping him to the floor. Ra’s kicked back, hitting him in the shin, and jumped back up.

 

Batman tackled him, pushing him against the wall, and launched his fist twice to his side. Then he grabbed on to his collar and threw him over his shoulder to the floor.

 

“I don’t have time for this, Ra’s,” he snarled.

 

Ra’s didn’t answer but rolled on to his knees and rushed at him again, tackling him with his shoulders in desperation. Batman stumbled back and elbowed him in the neck and kneed him in the stomach before throwing him back.

 

As Ra’s gasped for breath on the floor, Batman advanced on him, grabbed his collar pulling him up, and smashed his fist to his face, knocking him unconscious.

 

“Jim,” he panted, and walked over to the unconscious police commissioner.

 

Gordon woke fast and Batman helped him up.

 

“Jim, Red Hood is going to blow up the asylum,” he explained as he walked to the Joker’s cells door.

 

“Blow up the asylum? We have to stop him!”

 

“I will stop him,” Batman grabbed the Joker and put cuffs on him. “Take the Joker and evacuate the building. I’m going after Red Hood.”

 

\---

 

Jason Todd walked through the asylum towards it’s side doors. A helicopter was supposed to retrieve him, and Ra’s, though plans had changed.

 

“Jason! Stop!”

 

Batman caught up to him quickly.

 

“I knew you’d find a way to make yourself a nuisance,” Jason shouted, and flung an array of shurikens at the advancing hero.

 

Batman hugged the wall and let the throwing stars pass by. Jason pulled out a knife and charged at him.

 

“I’m going to enjoy this,” he yelled as he swung the knife at Batman.

 

Batman barely avoided the knife, grabbed Jason’s arm and slammed him face first in to the wall.

 

“I don’t want to fight you, I can help you,” Batman begged.

 

“No you can’t,” he yelled, slamming his head back in to Batman’s face and his elbow back in to his side.

 

“You think my dip to Ra’s’ pit turned me rabid? But maybe, just maybe, this is the real me, Bruce.”

 

“That’s not true, Robin!”

 

“Don’t call me that!”

 

Jason charged again, swinging his knife. He nicked Batman’s neck. Batman slammed his fist against Jason’s visor, cracking it. Jason stumbled back, screaming in pain, and ripped off the helmet, throwing it away. The glass of the visor had broken, making small cuts all over Jason’s face.

 

Jason threw down a smoke bomb and made a run for it. Batman followed after him chasing him up to the second floor, where Jason grabbed his guns and pointed them at him.

 

Batman stopped in the hallway.

 

“Stop this, Jason. It’s not too late.”

 

“It is,” Jason insisted. “It’s years too late.”

 

He walked towards Batman, who stood his ground, pointing his guns directly at the Bats head.

 

“You left me with him. For a year. You left me to die!”

 

“That’s not what happened,” he tried to explain.

 

“You always told me: focus on what you want to achieve, and it’ll happen,” Jason pushed the gun to his throat. “And you know what I want now? I want you dead.”

 

Batman knocked the gun away and smashed his forehead in to Jason’s. He grabbed on to his collar and threw him against the window, almost sending him through it. The guns clattered to the floor.

 

“Enough! It’s over!”

 

Jason clearly disagreed, launching his fist at Batman. It was a rage filled attack, easy to dodge. Batman grabbed his arm and elbowed him in to the side, knocking him to the wall, and kneed him in the stomach for good measure.

 

Jason shook it off, and grabbed another knife from his jacket. Batman knocked it away from his hand and punched him in the face, sending him to the floor. He jumped on top of him, ready to pummel his face, but stopped.

 

Jason looked at him, with the rage filled eyes of a boy let down. Batman stood back up.

 

“I’m sorry, Jason.”

 

Jason didn’t answer. Batman held out his hand.

 

“It’s not too late. We can fix this. Together.”

 

Jason didn’t take his hand. He stood up and walked away.

 

“It is too late,” he sighed. “Much too late.”

 

He turned back around, revealing the trigger in his hand.

 

“Goodbye, Bruce.”

 

He pushed the button. Batman had seconds to react. He grabbed Jason and jumped out the cracked window. The explosions behind them sent the two flying a good 50 feet away from the asylum, where Batman landed first, shielding Jason’s body from the impact with his own.

 

\---

 

The front of Arkham Asylum was chaos. Officers were desperately trying to keep order among the dozens of inmates gathered on the yard. James Gordon spoke in to his radio as fire trucks pulled up to what used to be the asylum.

 

“Jim.”

 

“Thank god,” Gordon sighed as Batman walked to him, holding on to his side. “I thought you were still in there.” He pointed to the blazing inferno of a building.

 

“Did you get everyone out?”

 

“Some of the inmates were caught in the explosion. We can’t know for sure how many until we get the asylum records and get these inmates in order.”

 

“Where’s the Joker?”

 

“Gone. Disappeared in the chaos,” he said, shaking his head. “But he couldn’t have gotten far. Where’s the Red Hood?”

 

“I don’t know,” Batman sighed. “The explosion sent me flying, and when I came to, he was gone.”

 

“This night’s been a disaster.”

 

“And it’s not over yet,” Batman said, making his way towards the batmobile.

 

“You’re not going to take the rest of the night off?” Gordon sounded worried. “You don’t look so good.”

 

“It’s okay, Jim,” Batman assured, even though he knew he had at least one broken rib. “My job’s not done.”  



End file.
